Lucy Young, MD, PhD, an Associate Professor of Ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School, is the 2023 recipient of the Simmons Lessell Excellence in Education Award. Presented during our clinical graduation ceremony on June 15, the award recognizes faculty who have made—and continue to make—sustained and profound contributions to education—just like Dr. Simmons Lessell. A key leader of education in the Harvard Department of Ophthalmology for over 30 years and one of the most gifted diagnosticians of all time, Dr. Lessell passed away in May 2016.
Dr. Young grew up in Brazil after emigrating from Taiwan, moving to the US for college and earning her undergraduate and medical degrees from the University of Wisconsin—Madison. She continued her training at Harvard, earning her PhD in biology under the mentorship of Dr. John Dowling—a world-renowned neuroscientist and vision researcher. She went on to complete her ophthalmology residency training and a two-year Vitreoretinal Fellowship here at Mass Eye and Ear. Dr. Young quickly earned the trust and respect of her co-fellows and faculty members, and in her second year, was already serving as an attending physician and faculty member on the Retina Service. In 1992, she was promoted to Assistant Professor, and in 1998, she was promoted to Associate Professor.
Over the past 30-plus years, Dr. Young has been a dedicated and generous teacher to many residents and trainees at all levels. She is sought out for her expertise in infectious retinitis and has led resident courses in fluorescein angiography since 1990. And Since 2002, she has served as Director of our Lancaster Course in Ophthalmology—the oldest and largest ophthalmic education course in the world, designed for residents and practicing ophthalmologists.
Over the past several years, Dr. Young has focused on making the Lancaster course more accessible. She has successfully raised funds from grateful patients to sponsor physicians from underserved countries to attend the course. And during COVID, Dr. Young was also pivotal in converting the course into a virtual format, expanding the course’s international reach.
Dr. Young was also instrumental in establishing our state-of-the-art Samuel and Nancy Jo Altschuler Ophthalmology Surgical Training Laboratory at Mass Eye and Ear, which opened in 2016. The Altschulers generously funded the wet lab in honor of the excellent care they received from her.
Throughout her career, Dr. Young has been recognized with a number awards and honors, including the 2004 Distinguished Service Award, the 2011 Vitreoretinal Fellowship Teaching Award, and the 2021 Vitrectomy Course Teacher Award from Mass Eye and Ear. She was also nominated four times for the A. Clifford Barger Excellence in Mentoring Award from Harvard Medical School.
"Lucy is a wonderful teacher and mentor for trainees and faculty here at Harvard Ophthalmology and beyond, said Chair Joan W. Miller, MD. "She is an inspirational role model in our department, and we are very pleased to present her with this award."